DRRRXN
by MariaMagi
Summary: Newcomers bring new trials with them. That's a given fact. But everyone's connected by a certain shadowy thread. Welcome back to Ikebukuro. OC's, yaoi, yuri, het. OCxCanon, canonxcanon, OCxOC. Some Light Novel elements.
1. Prologue

**An upscale apartment in Ikebukuro**

"No matter how well thought-out something is, there is always the factor you will never expect.

It's commonly known as a chaos factor.

In something simple as breathing, there are all sorts of factors.

You might breathe in something other than oxygen.

Someone could run up and cover your face.

Your breathing pathways could constrict.

Or you might just breathe and continue on like nothing happened.

In love, and life, there are many other factors.

And lately, even more has been added into the mix.

Nothing is nearly as simple anymore.

So how do you deal with those factors?

That's a good way of going about it, I suppose. Could be a lot worse.

But you probably know about these things already.

You're talking to someone like me after all.

Get to the point? All right, I will.

So you want to know about these people here?

Lucky you, I've met them all.

I wouldn't call them my friends.

Especially not him.

No, he hates me. I think. He's my personal chaos factor.

If you need information:

Don't hurt the Indian girl or the Italian will try to kill you.

Don't attack the blond bartender; the girl with the pink bandage on her face, or the Russian girl. They'll probably try to kill you.

Don't even think about harassing either of the girls.

Stay away from the short kid with the scars on his hand.

The boy with the white hoodie? I wouldn't worry about him too much. He can hold his own in a fight, though.

Those four are a real hoot. The girl there thinks I should date the bartender. Yeah, I know. But the other three are… Mostly sane.

The girl that's smiling all sweetly is also mostly sane.

That boy with the blue eyes is mostly safe. I know a few things about him, though, that I'm sure he wouldn't like brought to light.

Oh, the twins? I know them. Of course I'd know my own sisters. They're trying to kill me, like half the people in this city.

The man with the straw hat is… Well, there's no other way to put it. He's a pimp. And in a motorcycle gang. Life of luxury, I know.

As for the color gangs?

Dollars is probably your best bet. No leader, no rules. No glass ceiling. Form your own group and do as you please. I'll give you the password and everything.

No? Really? You're a strange one.

Yellow Scarves has been prowling around again lately. I hear their leader came back from the dead, practically. Heard he got on Shizu-chan's bad side. That's the bartender I was telling you about. If you see a guy wearing a yellow tuxedo jacket, and you aren't wearing yellow yourself, get out of the way.

The people with the blue clothes are called Blue Square. The Yellow Scarves and them had a strange fighting a while back, then they sort of merged, but now they're separate again.

Back to the pictures of people? All right, then.

The girl with the glasses and the red bowtie? I know some things about her, but I'll need… Additional funds to release that. I have reason to fear her, believe it or not, and if she knew I tattled her secret… Well, let's just say it wouldn't be good for me.

Oh, you really don't know about this one? This one's a legend around these parts. Known only… By most as the Headless Rider. If you see this person with your own eyes, take a picture and tell your friends. The Headless Rider's also running from that policeman you keep looking at.

He's a scary guy, honestly. He's not afraid to cause crashes to catch criminals. And unfortunately he's labeled the Headless Rider as a criminal.

'Is the Headless Rider really headless? And why did your eyes keep looking towards your bookshelf?'

More or less, and that is completely classified information, as in, for my eyes only information.

'speaking of eyes?'

The man with the red eyes?

You're talking to him.

And on that note, welcome to Ikebukuro."


	2. Day 1

**Day 1**

**23:50, A street in Ikebukuro**

Are you okay?

"….. Eh…?"

Oh, you woke up! I was getting worried.

"Who…?"

There's no need to be afraid. I won't hurt you. I'll get you to a safe place.

"Oh… You're the Black Biker…"

Yes. You look like you've had some trouble… I promise I'll help you. Come with me.

"Um… Thank you…"

**20:00 that same night, a street in Ikebukuro**

The streets on this side of town were still packed with rush-hour traffic. People returning from overtime at work, people returning from visiting friends, people returning from late-night dinners.

And in the midst of it all, a van with an anime character on one of its doors was parked on the side of the road, containing five people.

"No, Yumacchi, that wouldn't work at all." The sole female said. She was nicely dressed, all in black, her hair neatly tucked into her hat. Her companion had blond hair and was dressed in formal designer clothing. "Shizu-chan loves Izanyan, so he can't have a girlfriend!"

"No, no, you're seeing it all wrong through those fujoshi lenses of yours! Shizuo has to love Vorotan! They're _always together_!"

"Well, whenever— ah"

"Look at that, guys!" A man yelled from the very back seat. He has scars on his faces and wore a straw hat. "It's Shizuo!" Chikage pointed at the sidewalk, where a blond man in a bartender suit was walking with a girl with black hair and a black leather jacket. "Is that that Vorona girl?"

"Eh? No! Who is that?" Erika said, shocked, "She looks a little like Izanyan."

"Erika…" Walker sighed.

"That's Keira Yamakawa. I knew her in high school." Kadota explained.

"Eh? How come you've never told us about her?" Chikage asked.

"She never came up."

"Oh, this is just great! A love triangle!" Walker cheered.

"Yeah, between Shizu-chan, Vorotan, Keiracchi, and Izanyan~"

"So Shizuo loves Vorona, but one day realizes that his heart flutters around Keiracchi—"

"But it gets a violent beating near Izanyan—"

"But then Keira and Vorona get a good look at each other, and—"

"WOULD YOU ALL SHUT UP? QUIT SHIPPING PEOPLE IN REAL LIFE, IT'S FREAKING CREEPY."

"Hey, guys. Uh, don't look now, but some chick is getting followed." Saburo muttered, moving his headphones to the side. A girl's voice was heard quietly in the van. "_falling rain, aishiteru nano. Tears for you, kimi o kaku…_" The tan-haired driver pointed to the girl. She was wearing a Lolita dress, and had a slender, child-like body. However, it was easy to tell she was an adult. She carried a black lace umbrella, even though it was getting pretty dark.

A few yards behind her, a tall, near-anorexically thin man was following her. He wore a gray t-shirt with the word "searching" in blood-red print on it and cargo pants. He looked pretty creepy, given the extremely dark bags under his eyes, the insane look in said eyes, and the red-tinted drool on the sides of his face. Not a zombie, but could easily be mistaken for one.

It was quickly evident that this girl did not want the man following her.

Saburo honked the horn of the van, but to no avail. No sooner did they blink than the man disappear.

**18:00, a Train Station in Ikebukuro**

"Okay, I am officially worried now." A young woman muttered. She leaned against the stone column, waiting for someone. She closed her orange-contact-lensed eyes and let out a huge sigh. "Dude, he's the strongest guy in this town. If something happened to him, then we're all screwed. Heck, hope he didn't get hit by a car… again…"

"Who got hit by a car?" A man in a bartender suit asked, a smirk on his face. "Welcome back, Yamakawa."

"Oh! You're here!" Keira Yamakawa turned around, smiling at the man. "'Sup, Heiwajima?"

"Not too much. The flea is as infuriating as ever, Shinra's as in love as ever, and I'm… well, as me as ever."

"Good to know."

The two of them started walking, and Keira reminisced about her high school years. "Is Orihara still at that college place?"

"Nah, last I heard he dropped out cuz of the Awakusu-kai."

"Seriously? What'd they do?" A hint of humor entered her voice. "Did they tell him to sell his credit hours to pay off his debts or something?"

"Pfft, I wish it was more than his credit hours. But it seems to me that he actually has a _job _for them or something."

"What an idiot… You remember my dad?"

"He was terrifying. And that's coming from me."

"Yeah. Sometimes I wonder if he was more yakuza or more police. But he told me about the Awakusu-kai before I left. Said that the granddaughter of the boss went missing a while back."

"Akane-chan?"

"Ehhh?" Keira said, shocked. "Y-yeah, her! I met her a while back. She probably doesn't remember me though. How do you know her?"

"It's a long story… Hey, want to get dinner? I can tell you all about what you've missed."

"That would actually be amazing."

**The same time, the same station**

"Are you really sure about this, Saki?"

"Yeah. I always wanted to go to school at Raira. I never got the chance before, and now that we can take it… I really do want to."

"Then, in that case… Are you sure you can find a place to live?"

"Yes, I'm sure I can."

There was no, "because Izaya-sama said so," at the end of the sentence. Masaomi Kida merely smiled and gently kissed his temporarily ex-girlfriend soflty. "One last time," he explained, before the two of them walked out into the setting sunlight.

Hey, Mikado! Get over here! Bring Anri. I have someone I want you to meet!

Masaomi sent the text in a fervor, then leaned back against a wall. He heard a woman on the other side of the column mutter something about "the strongest guy in this town".

"Uh-oh. Saki. We gotta go."

"Eh?"

"Yeah. We seriously need to go." Masaomi took Saki's hand and led her away, staying just barely out of sight of the man in the bartender suit.

**10:00 that morning, a small capsule hotel somewhere in Ikebukuro**

"Ready to go, Amiko?"

"Nearly! P-please wait just a moment!"

The Italian blond man smiled at the Indian girl as she gathered her things, then slid down the ladder to meet him. "Sorry I made you wait."

"It's perfectly fine, Amiko." Pierre said, lightly hugging her from the side and kissing the side of her head. Amiko smiled and leaned against him, closing her eyes. The two walked out of the capsule hotel, paying for their individual rooms (despite them being a couple, they stay in separate rooms. Is that really so weird?). "Well, what should we do today, Amiko?"

"Um… Could we go draw at the park?"

"Of course!" He picked up Amiko, and carried her bridal-style down the street.

"P-Pierre… People are staring."

"Let them. Let all the world see your beauty. Because…" He smiled somewhat bashfully.

"Oh…" Amiko smiled too, and laughed quietly.

**22:00, a police box**

The phone rings.

"Hello? Police speaking."

"Ah, good…" The voice on the other end was sinister, breathy.

"Yes, do you have something to report?"

"I…"

"Out with it!"

"I just damaged some goods, if you know what I mean."

"What the-"

Click.

"Sato. Trace that call."

"Yes, sir!"

A few moments later, it was found that the call could not be traced at all.

**17:30, Yamakawa Bakery**

"What is this heresy? My bella signora, Nadeshiko-san, surely you must have one more pastry in stock." The Italian artist cried. The girl behind him, carrying a broom, looked at the woman behind the counter shyly. Nadeshiko, the woman behind the counter, who was used to this, said, "I'm sure that Amiko-chan likes the chocolate bread just fine."

The artist, Pierre, stiffened at this. "But the bread's not as tasty as the éclairs!"

"In your humble opinion, you little pasta."

As the mention of the pet name, Pierre stood catatonic. Amiko paid for the pastry out of her own pocket and started to drag Pierre away when Nadeshiko called them over.

"Say, have either of you been… In a color gang yet?"

"No, not yet, why?" Amiko asked. "They're scary, though… So many souls in an area, harming each other…"As she walked over to the group, the Indian girl swept the floor. When asked why she did such a thing so casually, she claimed it was so she would not harm the soul of any insects on which she might step.

"Because… Well, it's not really a color gang…" Nadeshiko began, adjusting her collar. "I'll explain at our next meeting, if you'll join us."

"What's it called?" Pierre asked, gaining interest.

"Chessmasters." Nadeshiko answered, shifting her shirt. On her belt there was a checkerboard print. "You don't need to wear a checkerboard. You can just wear black and white. But almost no one knows about this group. We're very underground, it seems… Most of the members we had joined other color gangs."

"Well, you have two new members!" Pierre said, and Amiko nodded in agreement. Nadeshiko's eyes lit up and she hugged both of them tightly.

"Thank you, both of you!"

**22:30, the chat room**

Kanra: Did everyone hear the news~?

Setton: News?

Kanra: Apparently some girl's disappeared!

Saika: That's scary

Saki: Weird…

RIVER: I saw a girl being followed by some creepy guy earlier?

Onii-chan: Eh?

Onii-chan: No way.

Bakyula: Me too. Weird.

RIVER: Was she wearing a Lolita dress?

Bakyula: Yeah!

Onii-chan: Were you over by Russia Sushi?

RIVER: Yeah.

Bakyula: Same here.

Setton: Sorry, I have to go. Something came up. My roommate shall attempt to entertain you in my absence.

Setton has left the channel.

Indoor Scholar: What's up, everyone~?

PM mode: Onii-chan to Indoor Scholar

What the hell, Shinra?

PM mode: Indoor Scholar to Onii-chan

What do you mean?

PM mode: Onii-chan to Indoor Scholar

You said that this would not discuss stuff like this.

PM mode: Indoor Scholar to Onii-chan

Sorry Shizuo.

Normally Kanra doesn't do this type of thing.

She's just sort of a gossip.

PM mode: Onii-chan to Indoor Scholar

Hmmph. Whatever. Still pissing me off.

RIVER: Hellooooo? Everyone suddenly went AFK!

RIVER: What the heck?

RIVER: Or did I turn off my internet?

RIVER: Oh well.

RIVER: Whatever.

Saki: Sorry, sorry! I was talking to Saika-san IRL.

Saika: Sorry

Saika: I'm very sorry

RIVER: It's fine, guys. Just worried about you two.

Saika: Thank you

Saki: Thanks~

Kanra: Kanra's baaaaack!

Onii-chan: Oh joy.

Onii-chan: My life totally sucked without you.

RIVER: lol

Bakyula: Go find a nice huge cave to crawl into, Kanra.

Kanra: Waaaaaaah! You guys are meeeeean!

Bakyula: You're also an idiot.

RIVER: lol again

Saki: With all due respect.

Saki: WHY THE HELL ARE WE LAUGHING AT KANRA

Saki: A girl's gone missing for Pete's sake!

Indoor Scholar: Sorry I haven't been very involved, everyone

Indoor Scholar: Setton has been texting me

Indoor Scholar: I actually need to go now, so good night

Saika: Me too

Saki: Same here

RIVER: It is awfully late.

Onii-chan: Yeah, I should probably go too.

Kanra: Waiiit! You're all just gonna leave me?

Saika: yes

Saki: Well…

RIVER: That's the plan.

Onii-chan: Right on the money.

Indoor Scholar: You betcha.

Bakyula: Die.

Kanra: 

RIVER: RUN.

RIVER has left the channel

Onii-chan has left the channel

Indoor Scholar has left the channel

Saika has left the channel

Saki has left the channel

Bakyula has left the channel

Kanra: Hmph! You all are mean~

Kanra: I'm outta here

Kanra: Bye bye biiii!

Kanra has left the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel

There is no one in the channel


	3. Day 2

**Day 2**

**1:00. An expensive apartment, somewhere in Ikebukuro**

"Celty… I have some… News to report regarding the girl." Shinra said, adjusting his glasses and removing his rubber gloves. Celty held up an affirmative reply on her PDA, so he continued. "The girl was attacked. Rather brutally. And… The guy apparently didn't have any sort of weapon on him. She just said that the last thing she remembers hearing before she passed out was something along the lines of 'it's blood like yours that keeps me alive'… Pretty creepy, eh?"

Of course. Was she able to give a physical description of the attacker?

"No, but apparently someone's reported the story to the news. Heard it was apparently the attacker himself."

**8:30, Around Tokyu Hand Department Store**

"This is far from a pleasant place to be doing this, Yamakawa." Shizuo warned as Keira fired up her video camera. "I'm not going to be here that long, anyway. Tom said he was going to be at my apartment at 9. I have to leave in like 5 minutes."

"Well, at least you're here for a few." Keira replied, adjusting the focus on the camera. She smiled at her former classmate before deciding that the viewfinder was appropriately focused. "So, um… You have work today, right? So I might not see you till later in the day, right?"

"Yeah. More than likely you'll probably see me hanging out with Celty or something. Come say hi if you want."

"All right. See you around, then!" As Shizuo left, Keira set to find as many witnesses as she could. Just as she was about to give up the ghost, she saw two conspicuously dressed people wearing huge backpacks. Camera in hand, she walked up to them. "Hey, you two wouldn't happen to know anything about the girl that got attacked last night, would you?"

"Oh! It's Keiracchi!" One of them said.

"Keiracchi! I've wanted to meet you!"

"Eh….? I have fans…?"

"Not really!"

"Frankly, Neither I nor Yumacchi know what you do. But we saw you with Shizu-chan last night!"

"Eh?" Keira cried, blushing madly. This was recording, and it was going on her blog. She would either have to edit this out seamlessly or delete her tapes altogether. "W-well, c-could you p-perhaps t-tell me about the girl?"

"Oh, she's getting all flustered, Yumacchi. How cute~"

"Just like Taiga and Ryuuji~"

"N-no! W-we're not l-like that at all!"

"Aww~ Tsundere, how cute!"

"Ooh, I wonder how tsun-tsun she gets?"

"Probably very! She looks all rough and tumble, just look at her bandage!"

"And she said 'oretachi'! Not 'watashitachi'!"

"She must be trying to be the man in a relationship, obviously," came a deeper voice from behind them, "a relationship with the blonde Russian goddess, Vorona!"

"What the hell?" Keira sputtered. _Who the heck is Vorona?_

"No, no, no! I'm telling you, It's Shizuo who's having the romantic identity crisis!"

"Cuz he can't come out of the closet?"

"Hell naw! It's cuz his two lovely ladies can't stop staring at each other!"

"No, they can't stop staring at him."

"And his eyes just won't leave Iza-nyan!"

"And- God no! It's gotta be girl-on-girl!"

"Harem romance!"

"Boy's love! Boy's love!"

"You guys are scaring me so I'm just gonna go-!"

"So, Keiracchi! Which is it?" all three of them asked.

"Well, I'd just have to say—"

"Keira! Get over here, I need to tell you something!" It was Kazuma. A tall man with brown hair and glasses with a personable image. Currently engaged to Nadeshiko, Keira's beloved older sister. She ran a bakery here in Ikebukuro, and was often caught up in her work. When she needed Keira to drop by, Kazuma would more often than not extend the invitation personally.

"Coming!" Keira called, dashing across the street, all too eager to get away from the three that had, quite frankly, freaked her out. "You know them?" she asked, still shuddering from the fact that the man with the straw hat was envisioning her with a girl she knew nothing about.

"Oh, them?" Kazuma confirmed, a slight chuckle in his voice. "They're Erika Karisawa, Walker Yumasaki, and Chikage Rokujou. Karisawa-san and Yumasaki-san are two rather hardcore otaku. They can see shipping from miles away. And Rokujou-san is the leader of a motorcycle gang. Heard he handed it down since he ended up being good friends with the two of them. He can see shipping too. Pretty weird if you ask me, but I'm not gonna judge. They're good business for Nacchan. They buy pastries like there's no tomorrow. I guess their manga energy runs off of sugar."

"Huh…" Keira thought allowed. "Am I like Taiga?"

"Well you are awfully short compared to Heiwajima-san. And you are a little tsundere when you want to be."

"I am not tsundere!"

"That's what they always say."

They had arrived at the bakery.

"Keira~! Am I glad to see you! Could you put this basket on the counter for me?" Nadeshiko called from inside the bakery. No sooner had the door opened was a wicker basket thrown at her, filled with wrapped cookies. "Well morning to you too, Nade-nee." Keira called in turn, smiling as she put the basket in the appropriate place. Nadeshiko was in her late thirties, but looked just as young as Keira. She had short, curly hair that showed scarcely a sign of lightening, and wore silver-rimmed, thin glasses. Her eyes were brown and sparkled with kindness. She still walked a little uncertainly from an accident that had happened when her bakery had first opened. Needless to say, all her life, this girl that wished to be a princess, a true "Nadeshiko Yamato" had finally gotten her wish in meeting Kazuma, who's last name was, through some sort of twist of fate, "Yamato". It was love at first sight, and the two bespectacled, affable people had found the other to be inseperable.

It was the type of love that gave Keira hope that her Prince Charming was still willing to have her.

"You know, your boyfriend and that Russian girl showed up this morning."

Keira dropped the box she was carrying. "Shizuo is _not my boyfriend_!"

"But you wish he was!" Nadeshiko said, grinning. Keira was blushing madly again, glaring at Nadeshiko from the corner of her eye. "You've totally cherished that handkerchief he gave you when… What was his name… That Shiro guy broke up with you. Dude, you still have it even now. And the watch, too."

"N-Nade-nee… I-I'm b-being a good friend is all! I-it's n-not l-l-like I'm in _l-l-love _or anything!"

"That's what they always say." Nadeshiko said, smiling. She leaned her head on the counter and looked over at her. "He was here early, y'know? He's always here with Tanaka-san and that Russian girl. The three of them are like nori, rice, and umeboshi, you know?"

"Uh, I guess."

**8:00, Yamakawa Bakery**

"So, this is what I was telling you guys about earlier. Nadeshiko-san has this… Like… Team thing…?" A man in dreadlocks asked the woman behind the counter of the bakery, who was ringing up a small bag of cookies, a small cake, and a bottle of milk. A man in a bartender suit and a Russian girl were standing nearby, looking at the man with the dreadlocks intently.

"It's sort of like a chess club." Nadeshiko said. "Sometimes we play Calvinball or something. But we do other stuff too." She said, deliberately vague.

" 'Calvinball'?" The girl asked. "What is this Calvinball?"

"It's from a comic I think. An American comic…?" The man in the bartender suit asked. The woman behind the counter nodded.

"Yep, Calvin and Hobbes."

There was an awkward silence as the man with the dreadlocks took the bag.

"Uh, I guess we could join…"

"You will? You seriously will?" The woman behind the counter practically leapt over said piece of furniture.

"Uh… Yeah. Is that okay with you, Vorona?"

"Affirmative. This sounds like an interesting leisure gathering. Indeed, I will join in the festivities. My presence may be counted on." The blond simply nodded, closing her eyes, and idly swung her feet back and forth as she spoke.

"Uh….?" The woman behind the counter stared blankly.

"In simpler terms: sure, why not," Shizuo translated.

"Great! I'll see you all at 10:30, then? It's our first official meeting!" Nadeshiko invited, stepping around the corner of the counter. "I'll explain everything then."

**10:00, an upscale apartment in Ikebukuro**

"Yeah, Namie, get me a few more pieces today? Some small, glass chess pieces." The raven-haired man called, spinning in his office chair. A bizarre board game was in front of him, a single black king piece in the very center. Among the other pieces were a black queen piece with the top missing, a smaller black king piece with the top of the queen piece, a white king piece near the black queen. A black knight piece, also missing the top part, sat near the queen. The top part of that piece was nowhere in sight. There was a smaller, black bishop, a white bishop, and a black rook off to one side, opposite another, much larger, black rook.

"Why on earth do you need that?" an equally raven-haired woman asked sarcastically. "For that bizarre game you're obsessed with on an unhealthy level?"

"So harsh, Namie! Especially when I care about you so much!" Izaya stood from his chair, strode over to his secretary, and softly hugged her. "Just like every human being, you're special to me. And you're the only one who'll listen to me ramble on. That actually means a lot. Scheming is much more fun when you have people who will listen."

"Sh-shut up, will you? Quit trying to seduce me. My one and only love is Seiji. Seiji Seiji Seiji!" Namie protested, and made to pull away, but didn't in the end.

"I wasn't trying to seduce you. Silly Namie," the information broker chuckled, letting the green-sweatered woman go. She stepped forward a few steps. "Is that a bit of a blush I see?" He asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Stupid pervert. Get away from me. My only love is Seiji!"

"You're the pervert." Izaya practically sang, spinning around the railing. "You thought I was seducing you."

"As if there was any other reason you'd do that?"

"Maybe I was trying to show some affection to probably the only person who'd take it."

"Your vision of affection is sick and twisted. You stabbed Shinra and sold him out to the police—"

"The first wasn't me, and the second was more or less a mistake—"

"You _let your sisters try to kill you_—"

"Hey, I don't _let_ them—"

"Don't even get me _started_ on Shizuo—"

"That's a low blow, Namie. That's way in the past—"

"Keira? Saki? That Russian girl you slighted? Anri-san? Mika? _The entirety of Zombie Dragon_?" Namie grunted, frustrated. This was the most emotion she had ever shown him. "The point is… Frankly, you're a jerk, you were just blessed with a pretty face. That's the reason people follow you."

"What, charisma and intelligence don't get any points?" He asked, a slight purr to his voice, leaning towards Namie.

"Not when they're used for such a vile purpose as yours." Namie said, nearly closing the distance between their noses. Izaya smirked and closed said space. Namie blushed slightly and recoiled, before backing up and getting angry again. "You're a complete jerk! Stop trying to do that, for any hope you have of going to Valhalla! Do that again and you'll breathe your last!" She cried, flustered, before backing up and returning to organizing her books. Izaya jumped down from the railing, turning and smiling up at Namie.

"Well, maybe you're in need of an identity check or something, Namie."

**12:00, near West Gate Park**

"Hey, Karisawa-san?" The man called Rokujou Chikage asked the sole female companion. "Why are there so many people in yellow over there?"

"Eh? Yellow?" Erika Karisawa craned her neck, but saw, right as rain, a small group of people dressed in various yellow clothing.

"Uh-oh. Looks like we've got trouble." Walker Yumasaki pulled the two into an alley to hide them from their gaze. "Let's get out of here as soon as we can."

**11:00, a small dining room in Yamakawa Bakery**

The attendees of the meeting were cramped. Sitting at the head of the table was a woman with curly black hair and glasses and a man with brown hair and glasses as well. To his left was the woman's sister, looking mildly bored as she fiddled with a watch. Next to her was a young Italian man, and an Indian girl next to him. Across from them sat a Russian girl, a man in a bartender suit, and a man with dreadlocks.

"So, uh… Now that we're all here…" The woman at the head of the table began, "This is sort of a chess club, sort of not…"

"Continue," The Russian girl said, near-roboticly, "I wish to hear more."

"Uh… Like… It's a little like a color gang, but it's really not that much like a color gang. It's like… We're kind of like a group that… We all are good at something… Like I'm good at baking, and Kazuma is good at fixing things, and… Kazuma…" She looked to the man with the glasses with pleading eyes. The man smiled and stood. "I'll take over then. Basically, you all are here because Nacchan trusts you for some reason or another. We'll explain more later, but the thing is… We're not like Dollars. But we're not like Yellow Scarves or Blue Square either. If you should want to quit, we won't pursue you. We have rules, and a leader, but they aren't that restrictive. And Nacchan is good at finding people with good in their hearts. So… If any of you all want to flip the table or leave, go ahead."

Everyone simply remained where they were seated.

"Well, then… Should I take that as a 'we'll join'?"

Everyone nodded. Amiko looked a little drowsy.

"Then… Let's play a board game?" Nadeshiko offered, pulling out a box marked 'Calvinball'. "This is sort of like Calvinball, but it has rules."

Not too long later, the game was in full swing, with all sorts of chaotic rules in play.

"штопать я забыла она была антивещества!"

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Nothing. Simply an outburst."

**15:00, a street**

"I~Za~Ya~Ku~n~" A deep voice said, reaching its target from the other side of the street. Moments before, a trash can had made contact with the man's head. "I've told you a hundred times. _Get the hell out of Ikebukuro_!"

"Oh, but where's the fun in that, _Shizu-chan_?" Izaya replied, flicking his wrist. A small blade opened.

"Gahh! That only makes me even angrier…!"

"That's not my problem."

The fight began with the loud dissonance of metal breaking from concrete, and the zing of knives slicing the air apart. Keira raced through the growing crowds, her notebook out.

_Heiwajima, Orihara start street fight of epic proportions_, she wrote, _on this day here in Ikebukuro. _

"Well hello there…" She heard a voice say. It was frightening. Deep and breathy.

"Leave me alone. I'm trying to write." Keira replied, scribbling out another letter before the man interrupted again. She turned around and was met with the frightening gaze of a man with very frightening eyes. Her voice shaking, she said, "Um, p-please excuse me" and ran off.

She continued writing. _Such a sight has become a regular occurance, but people still watch as though it was only happening for the first time before their-_

Smack

Keira ran face-first into a building at top speed.

_Ow_

_Ow ow ow ow_

She stumbled backwards until she hit something metal. She turned around and gasped.

_The Black Motorbike…_

Oh, I think I remember seeing you before… You're one of Shinra's high school friends?

"Eh? Um, I know someone named Shinra…"

Not too many people have that name… You're the newspaper girl. The one with your dad in Awakusa-kai, right?

"Eh?" Keira was taken aback at this. Very rarely did anyone recognize her for her work, much less the work she did in high school.

I don't quite recall your name. Sorry. It had a weird reading for one of the kanji.

"Oh! My name is Keira Yamakawa!"

**3 Years Ago, a small village in India**

There had been a blight that year. Everything and everyone was dying.

And at the brunt of the blame was a girl of scarcely 14.

She was skinny as a rail even before the blight. And now that she was starving and being treated like an untouchable, every last one of her ribs was visible. Her hair was long but it was thin and scraggly. And yet, _he _thought she was beautiful. An angel of purity.

It all began when he left his home to see the world.

The boy known as Pierre left home to draw people from every country. He didn't care if he got hurt. He was always quick to recover from even the worst wounds. And he found himself in India. In that very village. Yet, despite the disparity and pain throughout the countryside, he found it beautiful, even in its suffering. And then he saw the girl.

He tried to talking to her, first in Italian, then in English. She understood the English just fine. "I couldn't help but notice your beauty." He said.

"Beauty? I am… Beautiful?" She looked doubtfully at her thin figure.

"Yes. It's not a beauty any could believe, in my opinion. Something otherworldly. Something… Like you." He smiled sweetly and asked her to sit down.

"May I sketch you?"

"Um… Sure…" She moved into a more comfortable sitting position and watched him draw. "Um, I also… Like to draw…"

"Really? What sort of thing?"

"Nature… The land…"

"Well, there's not much of it here anymore, is there?" He said, an ironic laugh toning the words.

"No, not at all… My name is Kali Malinka. But a lot of people here call me Amiko… I got that name in my Japanese class, back when I was allowed in school…"

" 'Back when'? What happened?"

"The blight… They think it was me..."

"I doubt someone with such beauty as you could cause such a thing… Miss Kali? Do you… How do I say this… Would you like to accompany me to Japan? It would be an honor to be in your company."

"Y-You truly mean…"

"Yes. I'll pay for everything. I'll buy you only the finest food, clothing, art supplies, you name it! We'll have to be on a budget once you're in good shape again, but I can deal with debt if it means your happiness!" Pierre had dropped his sketchbook onto the muddy ground and was now kneeling, clutching Amiko's hands and holding them close to his heart. "I know love at first sight is unlikely, but I have truly been moved by you. Please, allow me to ease your suffering."

Amiko was taken aback. Never had anyone in her past so bravely declared love for her. But what did she have to lose? There was nothing left here for her, anyway…

**17:00, Back room in Russia Sushi**

"So, Vorona, why are you here? You never did fully explain." A tall black man and a shorter than him, but still tall, blonde girl were talking in Russian.

"I have my reasons." She replied, staring blankly at him.

"You know what I mean, Vorona. I want to protect you in Drakon's place, and I can't do that with you keeping secrets."

"Fine. I am here first on an assassin job. Then I was hired to kidnap a young girl. Then I was hired to incapacitate another girl. Then I am remaining here because it is the closest thing to safety I have."

"And nothing else?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I… Have found two new targets."

"May I ask who?"

"A man and a woman. The man looks similar to me. And the woman seems to know him from somewhere."

"And why are you targeting her?"

"She is a threat to my goal now. She wishes to keep him safe, I can tell. And in order to destroy him, I will have to destroy her first. But no matter. I will only become stronger in the end."

**21:00, a street**

The TV mounted above the intersection was playing a song. It had an intense beat that shot fear through your veins.

_Run girl run_

Sure enough, a girl was running from someone.

_Run girl run_

_To save your life_

_Run girl run_

_Before the night_

_Run girl run_

_Save yourself_

_Don't care 'bout no one else_

_Just run_

She pushed through the crowd, roughly, desperate to escape the person chasing her. She was in hysterics before long, her short-cropped hair that made her look younger made her seem so much smaller with tears in her eyes.

_Run girl run_

_Nothing matters now_

_Just run_

She ran down an alley. Bad choice.

Her attacker got to her within moments, and all that was heard from the alley was a scream before it was cut off all too quickly.

**22:00, Chat room**

Kanra: Good evening, everyone~ (๏ ๏)

RIVER: Where is everyone? I hope to god it's not just you.

Onii-chan: I'm here too. Not to worry.

Kanra: Waaaaaaa! How meeeeeeeean!

RIVER: Shut up, Kanra!

Saika: I am here as well

RIVER: Hey guys, by the way.

Saika: Sorry

Onii-chan: You don't have to keep apologizing.

Saika: It's hard for me to type

Kanra: That's what computer classes are for~

RIVER: Kanra…

Saika: I use my phone

Saika: Sorry

Kanra: Then get a new phone~!

Onii-chan: Kanra, I swear, if you keep trash-talking her I'm gonna-

MARUSAN has entered the chat.

Kanra: Eh~? One of your friends, Saika? RIVER? Onii-chan?

Saika: no

Onii-chan: I didn't invite anyone.

RIVER: Me neither. Name-change maybe?

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

RIVER: De oi?

Kanra: WAAAAAA, HOW SCARY~

Onii-chan: What the hell?

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

RIVER: Wait…

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

MARUSAN: disclose

PM Mode: RIVER to Onii-chan

Hey, uh… Can you keep a secret? Something weird I just noticed about Marusan…

PM Mode: Onii-chan to RIVER

Sure, what is it?

PM Mode: RIVER to Onii-chan

The first kanji of my name means "disclose"…

PM Mode: Onii-chan to RIVER

Woah, what?

PM Mode: RIVER to Onii-chan

Crazy, right?

PM Mode: Onii-chan to RIVER

No, that's not why. I only know one person with that kanji in their name…

PM Mode: RIVER to Onii-chan

Woah, creepy… Wait. Look outside. Like, right now.

PM Mode: Onii-chan to RIVER

Oh. So that's who you are.

PM Mode: RIVER to Onii-chan

Yep. Hey-wajima!

Kanra: HE'S GONE YOU CAN COME BACK NOW

**Newscast, 22:00**

It seems that another girl has been found, fainted on the side of an alleyway. Nothing was out of the ordinary besides that she has lost a large amount of blood from a small cut. More on these attacks as the information arises.


End file.
